To avoid water contamination of electrical contacts, conventional receptacle and female plug electrical connectors may be sealed by o-rings or gaskets. These designs may work well in generally dry environments however electrical connectors in some applications may be exposed to non-dry air environments, such as humid air, rain, or seawater. Further still, a connector may be submerged in water, for example, ships, submarines, or underwater equipment, for example. Thus, it may be desirable to exclude water from the electrically live portions of the connectors as, among other things, water may create electricity leakage paths. Water can damage the electrically conducting connector contacts by corrosion or by deposition of insulating salts or impurities onto the connectors. In certain applications and environments, it is desirable to not only exclude water after being mated, but also to exclude water during mating—even when mating under water.
Conventional connectors addressing underwater mating or mating in a wet environment may be complex. Such connectors may be filled with oil and may have many small parts, such as dynamic seals and springs, for example. Due, at least in part, to their complexity, conventional connectors may be difficult to build and repair. Such connectors may also be expensive to produce and replace. Dielectric gel containing connectors can also be designed to allow underwater mating of connectors with water exclusion, for example. However, repeated connection and disconnection of these gel-containing connectors may lead to contamination, leakage of the gel, or other problems.